Amazon price listing is way, way off Whoever is posting the price on Amazon is not being truthful in the pricing. The list price has NEVER been above $499.99. In fact, anyone that follows photography and Canon products would know that at nearly $500, this flash is likely overpriced in comparison to where it will land in months to come. It is unlikely this flash will be much of a bargain above $400 - 450, which is still in excess of the very similar unit it is replacing (the 580 EX) that costs around $350 when on sale at popular camera websites. Amazon price listing is way, way off Whoever is posting the price on Amazon is not being truthful in the pricing. The list price has NEVER been above $499.99. In fact, anyone that... » Read More Amazon price listing is way, way off Whoever is posting the price on Amazon is not being truthful in the pricing. The list price has NEVER been above $499.99. In fact, anyone that follows photography and Canon products would know that at nearly $500, this flash is likely overpriced in comparison to where it will land in months to come. It is unlikely this flash will be much of a bargain above $400 - 450, which is still in excess of the very similar unit it is replacing (the 580 EX) that costs around $350 when on sale at popular camera websites. « Show Less
36853
Amazon price is $350. List Price is set by the vendor - not Amazon. Amazon just lists the MSRP provided by the vendor. Beware of other sites listing items for less than Amazon (since Amazon does far more volume than other sites they have greater negotiating power to get the best deal) - when I see a lower price I tend to also see "out of stock"....
36854
Amazon has a long history of outrageous MSRPs on Canon products and thereby presenting rediculous discount %s. I understand about listings being confused with foriegn currencies, etc, but ya think ya might take a quick look at the Canon website to see if you're even close? The 580 EX II is not new to the Canon product line nor is it an upgrade. I will again point out this oversight by Amazon to Amazon and probably receive the usual obigatory lame excuse. It's annoying, misleading and somehow amazing that this particular type of frequent mistake never appears to hit lower than the correct MSRP! Amazon has a long history of outrageous MSRPs on Canon products and thereby presenting rediculous discount %s. I understand about listings being confused with foriegn currencies, etc, but ya think ya might take a quick look at the Canon website to see if you're even close? The 580 EX II is not new to the Canon product line nor is it an upgrade. I will again point out this oversight by Amazon to Amazon and probably receive the usual obigatory lame excuse. It's annoying, misleading and somehow amazing that this particular type of frequent mistake never appears to hit lower than the correct MSRP!
36855
These can be had at camera stores for $335. Dont play any games w/ amazon's un-truthful pricing games for this. bhphoto.com (there are coupons to get $ off this at that store)
36856
Yes, I also bought my 50mm around $80's about a year ago. This flash unit was also cheaper (around $350) before Canon increased the U.S. prices on all Canon products (adjusting for Yen - $ rates?).
36857
You're right. Amazon's list price of $845.82 is way off. The local camera store, Cord Camera in Ohio, told me Canon's MSRP for the 580EX II is $439. But it's supply and demand. Try to find a 580EX or 580EX II flash on Adorama.com or B&H; (bhphotovideo.com) You won't. So it's 14% market-up from those that have them to sell. That's reasonable. What isn't reasonable is expecting an online stores to say your savings is -14%. Hence the mark up on the list price and the claim that you're saving 41%. If you can find this item in stock from a reputable seller at $350, pass along the web site.
36858
Photography stock market...enjoy the ride. My 50mm 1.8 that I paid $92 was $72 last year.
36859
Actually the coupon you speak of, from B&H; is not a coupon. The price they show is the price AFTER instant rebate! I suggest you visit the Canon website and it will explain how the rebate works. I hope Amazon gets them instock at the $350 again and I will be ordering it. I sold my original 580 and want the newer one for my 1D Mark 3. Esp here in Alaska, the weather sealing and that metal foot will be nice. ThanksKevin PAlaskan Photo Tours and Workshopswww.PhotoTourAlaska.com
36860
So basically, it's better to go in-store to purchase this sweet piece of equipment, with limited stock than to buy online here, with a somewhat abundant stock?
1590353
They did the same thing on the S11 and such. I e-mail them with a correction to the page, but they never responded or corrected it. Crooks. Maybe if enough people e-mail them links to Canon's site and complain their listed prices are misleading, (bordering on fraudulent; claiming a $200 discount when you're getting no such thing and paying FULL PRICE) they'll fix it?
1531926
I received mine over the weekend from Amazon, but have done similar research as you did for over a week. I've noticed the same thing as you do on the price increase. IMO I chaulk it up to supply and demand. I shopped around and found the prices to be generally very close amongst online stores, and no more $435's available except at one reputable NY store selling it at $439 just the other day, and is back-ordered. The thing is that with Amazon there aren't even other vendors selling this camera at any price, so it's completely up to Amazon to charge what it thinks is appropriate. Even the used prices (which are mostly by Amazon in this case) have risen by a large margin. However, the camera is fantastic! So it's still a value proposition in my case. Since I sold my M43 gear, this $500 price tag is downright low. Look at it another way, there are no M43 or DSLRs (bodies only) that shoot at 5.5 FPS with autofocus or 12 without that come in at less than a grand. The lens range and aperture are in the same situation, there is nothing in the inter-changeable lens world that come close without costing multiples of this FZ150. Seriously, an Olympus 28-200'ish mm equivalent M43 lens runs at $450; a Nikon 18-200 VR for APS-C sensor is at approx $900; a Nikon 28-300 VR for full frame is about $1k (while non of these open to f 2.8). True, those cameras have larger sensors and the lenses are quality stuff and can do different things (we're not totally comparing apples to apples here), but if this camera is right for you for what you do as it does in my case for what I intend it to do, which is for travel (light) and take photos of my son at baseball games, the price is a steal. Frankly this camera out guns my DSLR by a large margin and does 1080P video with fast accurate auto focus at 60p :) I cannot do manual video focus of sports - at any price! On the other hand, other options may be to wait and see, or buy used. I checked out eBay, no luck there (but Amazon pricing staff already know that).
1734124
The prices of various sellers on Amazon defy common sense. A camera strap that the manufacturer lists at $29 is sold by Amazon for over $60; another Amazon seller has the $29 price, "marked down" from $169!! Other camera items (including cameras and lenses) that sell new on Amazon at one price are listed used on Amazon for hundreds of dollars more! This is true in all product areas. For example, I have a surf book on Amazon, new, selling for $19.95. The same book is listed (right now, today) used at $58.88! There is no rhyme or reason to the pricing.
501843
Vendors (in this case, Canon) sets and adjusts the prices due to supply & demand among a variety of other factors. Fluctuations are normal. Use a price tracker or keep checking back until you find it at a price you want. Amazon does not raise prices based off of your personal views/clicks on a product.I wouldn't count on the price swinging down im the near future (holiday season premium maybe?)
1782973
I notice that Amazon has two vendors selling the Mark IV for $6600. I am a big Amazon Fan however I believe they do themselves a disservice by listing Scalpers (neither of which I've ever heard of) selling the product at $1600. above suggested retail. Three months from now they'll be selling for $200.00 below suggested retail. In any event I am patiently waiting for my number to come up. Sure would like to hear from others on the "Wait" list and those with recent arrivals.
110464
According to Epson.com, the regular price of this printer is $199.99. I am disappointed in Amazon advertising this at $279.99 as MSRP and then showing a great deal of $174.99. NOT!! Epson has a $50 instant rebate bringing the price to $149.99 and with free shipping. What's up Amazon?
187541
I do believe on Amazon it is 49 dollars. Your right it is absolutely ridiculous!!!! I paid 17 dollars for the same thing.
476510
I believe the issue is that Amazon sold out of them (this seems to be a very popular camera), and the third party sellers are charging a higher price due to the demand. It's not anything Amazon's done, $999 isn't their price.
667952
No. The reason why it's overpriced on Amazon is that it's a model that's supposed to be exclusive to another retail chain (I don't know if they allow us to name it here but let's say it's America's largest retail chain). You can get it there for twenty dollars. So what some third party opportunists do is they buy it from that other place, and sell it here at a marked up price for people who don't have a branch of that chain nearby (or people who don't know any better). It's a fine blaster; it's just that it's not worth more than $20.
360399
This pricing scheme mostly has to do with a camera special. The price always skyrockets to an exorbitant amount when you are offered a good discount on select lenses when you buy a certain camera(s). After the special is over, the prices go back to normal.$399 was just too ridiculous. The person or program that adjust these prices is whack if they/it thinks someone will pay 25% more than the MSRP. (I wonder how many people actually did... ::facepalm::)
2251105
The reason the price jumped is that Amazon doesn't have the camera in stock (hardly anyone does -- Panasonic seems to have badly underestimated demand), and the only third-party Amazon sellers who have it are charging these ridiculous gouging prices because they think there are people willing to pay that much to get it NOW as opposed to whenever Panasonic can manufacture enough to satisfy the demand. If I were to put in an order with Amazon today (buying from Amazon at $899), I doubt I'd receive it before January at this point. There's no way I would pay $1500 for a GF1, but the official $899 price seems fair for what it is (with a lens included).
1883990
I got mine here on Amazon for 230.00. I would not pay 400.00! It would be nice if everyone would price them fairly, I laugh when I see them priced 2 to 5 times what a fair price is. Must be looking for stupid buyers.
226332
E: Thanks for the reply. I also wrote Amazon, and they told me: "Many of the items listed on our website are covered by a manufacturer's warranty. This information should be listed in the owner's manual for the product." I explained what gray market meant in my inquiry, but obviously they don't get it at all. The price is so low that I assumed it was gray market. I agree with you--I would never buy a Nikon product from anyone other than Amazon directly.
501844
Amazon tends to raise their price autmatically (?) if there is more interests for the item. e.g. more clicks and page views increases the price.I think the price drop for a bit due the rumor that waterpoof version of this lense is going to be out soon. This is not a water-proof lense but a great one indeed.
2098870
Google the sellers name and reviews. I have found that all the sellers I checked that were below the average street price of about $2700 were bait and switch shops. If you didn't buy their overpriced accessories they would tell you that the camera was out of stock.
1026441
As someone who preordered this camera and is still waiting I can say the problem appears to be with Amazon. The product is in high demand and it is hard to keep in stock but other sellers have at least had it in stock at one point or another. Amazon has NEVER had this item in stock. I have e-mails from Amazon confirming this fact. Check out Nowinstock.net and look at when other sellers have last had this in stock and compare to Amazon. Hopefully Amazon will find another supplier for Canon products.